Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade Recipe Highlights

This Brown Sugar Bourbon Marinade is (click for shortcuts within this post!)…

• TANGY & SWEET. Rich bourbon is balanced out with tangy balsamic vinegar, which tones down any harsh bite of the whiskey & instead creates tangy, sweet, rich flavor that is especially to die for on the grill!
• SIMPLE. This bourbon marinade leans on 7 flavor-bomb ingredients, many of which are probably already in your pantry. Plus, it can be mixed up in 5 minutes or less. Easy!
• VERSATILE. The best part? You can use it on just about everything – bourbon chicken, the best grilled steaks & pork chops, kebabs, veggies & more!

Summer grilling just got a little boozier, & I’m so not mad about it! ♡ Read on to learn more about this homemade marinade, or jump straight to the recipe & get grilling!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Bourbon – Of course! There’s no need to grab a top-shelf bourbon in for this bourbon marinade recipe since it’s being mixed with other flavor-forward ingredients. We always have a handle of Jim Beam on hand for our favorite cocktail. It works beautifully in this marinade recipe, too.
• Balsamic vinegar – Aside from the bourbon, balsamic is probably the most important ingredient in this easy marinade recipe. Its tangy, rich flavor mellows out any harsh notes of the whiskey. For best results, use a nice, aged balsamic vinegar.
• Brown sugar – For sweetness that balances out the rich, tangy notes of the vinegar & mustard & caramelizes on the grill. For rich, caramelly flavor use dark brown sugar. If you prefer a more natural sweetener, coconut sugar, honey, pure maple syrup, & agave all work as well.
• Aromatics – Namely garlic (of course!), mustard (either Dijon or whole grain work great here), & rosemary (feel free to use fresh or dried).
• Olive oil – A little bit to hold the marinade together! Since this grill marinade has so many other big flavors, you don’t need to use an expensive oil. If you prefer grilling with high smoke point oils, that’s cool! You can use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or whatever neutral oil you love most as an alternative.

Suggested Marinating Time:

Marinating time will vary based on the type of protein you use. Having tested this brown sugar bourbon marinade with a variety of different proteins & a variety of different marinating times, here’s what I suggest:

• Mild proteins like chicken & pork should soak in this bourbon marinade for at least 6 hours & up to 3 days.
• Rich or gamey proteins like beef & lamb should soak in this bourbon marinade for at least 12 hours & up to 3 days.
• Veggies last even longer – you can marinate them for at least 20 minutes or up to 5 days.
• Delicate proteins (i.e. seafood – salmon, shrimp, flaky white fish) have a shorter marinade time – aim for at least 20 minutes & no more than 1 hour.

Make-Ahead & Meal Prep:

Great news for meal preppers: despite the suggested marinating times for this all-purpose marinade recipe, you can still get ahead on your dinner by prepping the marinade in advance. (A little bonus? The flavors of the marinade meld together even more the longer it sits!)

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Prep the marinade & store it in a jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator. The marinade will keep for up to 5 days.
• When you’re ready to start marinating (refer to the suggested marinating times above), simply give the marinade a shake & pour it over whatever meat or veggies you’re using it on – easy!

A few favorite pairings to try include:

• Chicken. If you love bourbon chicken, this is the marinade for you! It adds so much flavor to lean cuts like boneless, skinless chicken breasts & thighs. You can also use it on bone-in skin on parts, like legs & drumsticks.
• Seafood. It creates an awesome bourbon glaze on grilled salmon & grilled shrimp skewers!
• Pork. Grilled pork chops or pork tenderloin practically beg for brown sugar & bourbon!
• Beef. Another great option, since the flavor of the marinade is big enough to stand up to rich beef. Use on your favorite steaks, like grilled ribeye or flank steak, or to make epic beef kabobs!
• Veggies. Yes, veggies! This bourbon marinade is great with hearty veggies, like onions, mushrooms, & baby potatoes…yes please! Grill them on their own, or skewer them onto satisfying summer kabobs with your favorite proteins.

Ready to Hit the Grill?

If this all still feels new to you, I encourage you to head over to Grilling 101, a compilation of tips & tricks for all of the grilling basics – everything from how to light your grill to how to clean your grill.

All this talk about grilling have you feelin’ ready to hit the grill? Me too! Be sure to check out this post for my 15 go-to marinades you need this grilling season. At our house, a good marinade is at the heart of grilling season. I’m positive these marinades will be on repeat at your house this summer! For even more grilled goodness, be sure to check out all of our Grilling & Smoking recipes.

& lastly! Be sure to give @playswellwithbutter a follow on Instagram – I’ll be teaching you how to grill up some goodness all summer long, & we have so much fun on Instagram!

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